Nail packaging apparatus



March 3, 1959 J. A. ROSKELLEY NAIL PACKAGING APPARATUS A Filed Jan. 3, 1957 lVl/E/VTOR JACK A. ROS/(ELLE By. 1 g 4 yOM 0/19 Attorney.

United States Patent 2,875,565 NAIL PACKAGING APPARATUS .Jack A Roskelley, Concord, Calif. Application Janu r 3, 1957, Serial No. 632,279

Claims. (Cl. 53-235 It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus in i the form of a magnetic packaging wheel including a pair of spaced discs which rotate astride a conveyor system carrying the magnetic articles to the packaging .wheel.

It is a further object of the invention to provide magnet means for setting up spaced magnetic fields betweenthe discs described above for the purpose of lifting the magnetic articles from the conveyorand carrying them to and depositing them in a container or packageby means of magnetic fields of force.

It is a,further object of theinvention to provide a magnetic packaging wheel as described above adapted to function as a pulley for a conveyor system and to be rotated thereby to perform its packaging function.

These and other objects will become more appa'rent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view partly in section; Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an end view with parts removed looking to the left of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings reference numeral 2 designates generally to the magnetic packaging wheel of the apparatus of the invention. Wheel 2 includes a pair of spaced discs 4 and 4 of non-magnetic material such as aluminum, Micarta, non-magnetic stainless steel or similar material, rigidly mounted on a nonmagnetic hub 6 which may also be made of aluminum, Micarta, non-magnetic stainless steel, etc. I have found it preferable to use aluminum for the discs 4, 4'.

The hub 6 which extends between the discs 4 and 4' has a core 8 of mild steel surrounded by electromagnetic windings 10. Although I have found it preferable to use mild steel for core 8 it will be noted that other material which readily conducts magnetic lines of force and which may be solid or laminated could be used for this purpose. The core 8 extends beyond the ends of the hub 6 and forms a common base for radially extending spaced opposed magnet arms 12 and 12' which may be solid or laminated and are made of mild steel or other material which readily conducts magnetic lines of force. Discs 4, 4' are fastened to the respective magnet arms by means of non-magnetic screws 13.

The outer edges of discs 4 and 4' are provided with spaced, generally rectangular cut-out slots 14 and 14', respectively, for receiving solid or laminated magnet pole faces 16 and 16 of mild steel or other magnetically magnetic articles into the container.

permeable material, which are attached, by means of screws 18 to the inner surfaces of the distal ends of arms 12 and 12, respectively. The core 8 is mounted for rotation on a non-magnetic shaft20 which may be made of non-magnetic stainless steel or other suitable nonmagnetic material and which carries copperslip rings 22 respectively, radiating from a common base or center 8 and carrying opposed pole faces Hand 16'. The pole faces 16 and 16' are of opposite polarity so that areas of magnetic force are set up between pairs of opposed pole faces when windings 10 are energized through the copper slip rings 22 which are connected to a, suitable power source (not shown).

Although I have shown the use of electromagnets for creating the magnetic fields, it will be noted that permanent type magnets may be used if preferred.

The hub 6 may function as a pulley surface for a continuous conveyor 28, as shown in Figure 1. In this arrangement the conveyor 28, whichis driven by suitable means (not shown) at its loading, end 30, also provides the motive power for turning the wheel 2. However, if

desired, separate means can be I provided for rotating magnetic and may be made of a non-magnetic material such as fabric, synthetic material, non-magnetic metal belting or a combination of any such materials. A non magnetic trough 34 which may be made of non-magnetic stainless steel supports the upper flight 32 of conveyor 28 adjacent the whee l 2. The conveyor 28 may be fiighted tobring the magnetic articles to the wheel 2 in positions substantially perpendicular to the pole faces 16 and 16' of the magnets 26. If desired, other means of conveying or feeding the magnetic articles into the wheel 2 may be used and separate motive power applied to the wheel.

An arcuate guide 36 made of non-magnetic material such as stainless steel is disposed between the perimeters of the discs 4, 4 and extends from a connection on the trough 34 to a container C supported on a bracket 38 between the discs 4, 4 on the circumference of wheel 2 opposite the conveyor 32. The guide 36 is provided with a bottom 40 and spaced side walls 42. The guide 36 functions to prevent the nails being packaged from coming into direct contact with the pole faces 16 and 16' of the magnets 26. The guide also serves to funnel the The bottom 40 of guide 36 prevents the articles being packaged from passing beyond the pole faces to the hub 6. A stripper bar 44 of non-magnetic material, which may be non-magnetic stainless steel, projects from the end of the guide 36 adjacent the conveyor 28 and extends over the upper flight of the conveyor so as to prevent the magnetic fringe areas surrounding each pair of pole faces 16, 16' from disturbing the arrangement of the nails N on the conveyor as the wheel is rotated.

In operation, as each pair of opposed pole faces 16, 16' passes upwardly astride the continuously driven conveyor 28 as wheel 2 is rotated clockwise as shown in Figure 1, the nails are lifted from the conveyor and suspended between the pole faces and thus suspended are carried into the container C. Due to the magnetic lines Patented Mar. 3, 1959 as /ewes,

3,. of force set up between the opposed 'pole faces, the nails are held in positions substantially parallel with each other and retain theserelative positions as they are stacked in the container.

As the magnetic'fields pass the container C from top to bottom, they-gently.agitate the nails already in the container and thus assure a dense pack. Bounce and misalignment are practically eliminated because the nails are stacked 'or carried into the container and are not poured or dropped in by gravity as was the general practice prior to my invention.

Thus, the apparatus of the invention packages mag.- neticarticle's in an efficient, neat and orderly manner. It's'simplicity of design lends itselfto economic initial installation and subsequent maintenance.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for packing magnetic articles in a container which comprises a wheel including a pair of spaced discs of non-magnetic material mounted for simultaneous rotation in a vertical plane about a common axis, means for rotating said wheel and for feeding said magnetic articles along a horizontaltplane into the circumference of said'wheel between said discs, magnet means carried by'eachof said discs adjacent-the perimeter thereof in radially spaced relation whereby radially spaced magnetic fields "are set up between said'discs, means supporting said container between-said discson the circumference of saidwheel opposite saidfeeding means, and a nonmagnetic arcuate guidehavingabottom and spaced sides fixedly disposed between said "discs and extending from said feeding means to said container.

2. Apparatus for packing magnetic'articles as defined by claim [characterized by said feeding means including an endless conveyor belt of non-magnetic material, and driving means connected with one end of said endless conveyor belt for driving the same.

3. Apparatus for packing magnetic articles as defined by claim 2' characterized 'by said discs being fixedly on' a common rotatable hub, and "the opposite end of Said conveyor belt being disposed'around said hub for rotating said Wheel.

4. Apparatus for packing magnetic articles as defined by claim 2 including a flange of non-rnagnetic material on the end of said guide adjacent said conveyor, said flange extending over said conveyor.

5. Apparatus for packing magnetic articles in a container which comprises a non-magnetic endless conveyor having a loading end and a dischargeend and being adapted to convey said magnetic articles in a horizontal plane, driving means connected with the loading end of said conveyor, alwheel including a pairof spaced discs of non-magnetic material disposed for simultaneous rotation in a vertical plane astride the discharge end of said conveyor, said discs being fixedly mounted on a common rotatable hub, the discharge end of said conveyor being disposed aroundsaid hub for rotating: said wheel, ,theradius of said wheel extending tova point intermediate the ends-of said conveyor, a pluralty of mag nets circumferentially spaced on the inner faces of--saiddiscs, each of the magnets on one disc being disposedop posite a magnet of opposite polarity on the other disc so that. a magnetic field is set up between each pair of opposed magnets, means supporting said container be-v tween said discs on the side of said wheel oppositevsaid' conveyor, a non-magnetic arcuate guide fixedly disposed between said discs and extending from said conveyor to said container, and a flange of non-magnetic material on the end 'ofsaid guide adjacent said conveyor, said'flange by said conveyor in the same directiontas the conveyon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,675,942

Vogelsang Apr. 20, 1954" 

